BlackBerry Ltd (BBRY) BBM For iPhone Still Waiting Apple’s Approval

Updated on

BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB) apparently submitted its BlackBerry Messenger app for iOS two weeks ago. But it looks as if Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) doesn’t want to even offer it.

BlackBerry Ltd (BBRY) BBM For iPhone Still Waiting Apple's Approval

BlackBerry Messenger coming to iOS?

Jessica Dolcourt of CNET reports that it’s taking an unusually long time for Apple to approve the new app. BlackBerry Messenger is considered by many to be one of the parts of the BlackBerry operating system. The company decided to offer iOS and Android versions of the popular app as a last resort when it started to see signs that BlackBerry 10 is not being accepted very well.

On Friday BlackBerry mobile manager Alex Kinsella tweeted that they submitted the iOS version of the BlackBerry Messenger app to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) two weeks ago. However, a third-party app store tracker says on average it takes Apple just four days to review an app. This means that BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s app is about a week and a half overdue.

Will BlackBerry spin the app off?

The company’s messenger app is so popular that one of the strategic options it has been said to be considering is spinning the app off into its own company and selling it. Of course other options could be selling the company off in one part or many parts, depending on the interests of potential buyers.

Samsung Africa has announced that BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) (TSE:BB)’s popular messaging app is coming soon to certain Galaxy handsets. But what may be stopping Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) from pushing it out immediately is the fact that the app competes directly with its own iMessage app. It also goes head to head with the popular app What’s App.

So will Apple approve BlackBerry Messenger before the new iPhone 5S hits store shelves? We’re less than a month away from the expected launch date and just days from the unveiling of the new handset, so the clock is ticking.

Leave a Comment